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Where I swam today in the Palm Springs City Pool. I got to see my Piranha Masters friends, too.

Thanks to a new knee brace, I have a new lease on life. Who knew that a new knee brace could make me feel so good? Thank you, DonJoy and DOC! The new brace allows me to take my morning walk. Albeit a shorter one, but I’m outside walking around the blocks in the neighborhood getting a mile in. Once my confidence comes back, I’m sure I’ll be able to handle my walk through my neighborhood to the park and back again. I was walking four miles each day before my ski accident, but starting at a mile isn’t too bad, right?

The first knee brace I had, restricted my movement and gave me some support. Although it was right for that immediate turn of events, now I’m moving to recovery and more strength. The new “DonJoy” brace is higher tech, more supportive and allows a bigger range of movement. Hence, the walking! I’m supposed to hang onto this brace and wear it skiing over my ski pants….if I ever attempt to return to my former favorite sport.

My new friend, the “DonJoy Fource Point” ACL brace.

Also, I had a doctor’s appointment this week and I had a list of things to discuss. I told him my PT said I could walk in the pool, which has been so enjoyable for me feeling weightless in the water. He said with a smile that he agreed also. Then I asked when I might return to swimming. He said I could swim right away! No breaststroke, but definitely freestyle and if my flutter kick hurt, to use a pool buoy.

My PT, who is a former D1 collegiate swimmer, told me that was great news, but not to overdo it and definitely don’t do flip turns. More good news. Flip turns don’t work for me anyway. I’m happy to swim from end to end of the pool, stop, turn around and push off again. I tried it today and the feeling of getting back in the water and swimming was totally amazing. I was apprehensive but it was okay! Hey, it’s not that bad! I swam 500 yards and walked 500 yards in the pool, which isn’t much, but it’s a start!

I have more to look forward to in my life now besides the lovely PT exercises. I don’t really dread them, but I have always been an outdoor person. It’s wonderful to get outside again and live a bit of my life.

The backyard isn’t so bad. But, it’s nice to expand my world.

If you’ve recovered from an accident what are the little things you remember the most?

My daughter has almost completed her age-group swim experience that began at age 5. She has a few weeks left with the team she’s been with for 13 years — and then she leaves for college.

If swim parents of USA Swimming age groupers were to ask me for advice I have two top tips.

NUMBER ONE.

Never lie to your coach. Reinforce to your child to never lie to their coach.

NUMBER TWO.
Respect the planning that goes into a year-long swim calendar and schedule your vacations accordingly.

The lying sounds ridiculous and obvious, right? Your child never lies. You never lie. But, you’d be surprised. Even if you truly fall in the category of the family that never lies, others do lie. What happens if your child is asked by another swimmer to not tell why they missed practice? Or, what if your child knows that a teammate is at Disneyland and not sick in bed and the coach asks her point blank? It all comes out in the end — so avoid this embarrassment — and never, ever lie. When a coach finds out the truth, which inevitably will happen, your swimmer will lose credibility. How does he or she get that trust back?

The second tip is also a matter of respect. If your swimmer is a serious year-round swimmer, there will be a certain point in their career when you just can’t take off whenever you want. Time-wise, it’s usually around the age of 12 or 13 for girls. Perhaps a little older for boys. I bet you didn’t know that the coach has training cycles and plans out an entire year’s practice in advance — sometimes plans 2 to 3 years out or longer? I bet you didn’t realize that when you go visit Aunt Sally for a week at Christmas you may be missing a huge workout week that is setting up your swimmer for success for the rest of the season? Respect your coaches and their training cycles. They actually put in vacation weeks during their year’s plan. It’s so much better for your swimmer to have your family’s calendar and the team’s on the same track.

My two cents worth. What advice do you have for successful swim parenting? If you have a tip, please post it below!